1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to toys of the talking variety, and pertains more particularly to a doll having listening and talking capabilities, thereby enabling a simulated two-way conversation to be conducted between the child and the doll.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Talking devices are rapidly becoming quite common. Some are triggered into operation by the generation of a warning signal. Typical of such devices is the vehicle-associated system described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,825 granted to Tsunoda et al on Jan. 12, 1982 for "VOICE WARNING SYSTEM FOR AN AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,990 granted to Shigeki Ueda for "HEATING APPARATUS SAFETY DEVICE USING VOICE SYNTHESIZER."
While the above two patents deal with only voice synthesizing, patents have been granted where voice recognition and synthesis are employed. Such patents include U.S. Pat. No. 3,356,836 granted on Dec. 5, 1967 to Walter h. Stenby for "SPEECH CONTROLLED ANNOUNCING CALCULATOR" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,313 issued on Dec. 8, 1981 to Robert M. Best for "DIALOG BETWEEN TV MOVIES AND HUMAN VIEWERS."
Voice simulation has been embodied in toys. Two patents involving talking toys are U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,927 issued on Sept. 9, 1980 to Dankman et al for "VOICE RESPONSIVE `TALKING` TOY" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,245 issued on Mar. 9, 1982 to Stowell et al for "VOCALIZING APPARATUS." Even though unique and intriguing features are incorporated into each of the patented constructions, nonetheless each lacks a certain amount of realism. For instance, in the Dankman et al patent, there is a random production of what amounts to sounds constituting a strange language, the random production of the language being triggered by a voice input. The Dankman et al patent, while novel, could hardly be considered to provide a dialog. In the Stowell patent, there is no dialog whatsoever between the child and the doll, the sounds uttered by the doll being dependent upon the closure of a gravity switch and the subsequent verbalization of different types of messages depending upon movement of the doll and the time of such movement.